A large wildfire burned over 20,000 hectares of forest in The Crowsnest Pass in August 2003. The fire grew rapidly, reaching 50 meters high and throwing off energy equivalent to an atomic explosion every 30 minutes. Local residents were forced to evacuate quickly, with one taking only their cat, dog, and most valuable possessions. The fire devastated the local timber industry and tourism, though other businesses were steady. Spray Lake Sawmills was granted rights to salvage 28% of the salvageable lumber to prevent it from going to waste, though the economic viability depended on factors like root damage and debarking costs. In the long run, the burned area will create new ecological diversity as undergrowth